JPH05329411A - Liquid feed structure for ultrasonic atomizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the maintenance of a liquid supply capacity over a long period of time with the structure for supplying liquid to an ultrasonic atomizing device by sucking up the liquid from a storage tank. CONSTITUTION:This structure consists of plural glass capillaries 11 arranged in tight contact with each other and hydrophilic resins 12. The hydrophilic resins 12 are clad on the top edges of the glass capillaries 11 and the inside walls of the glass capillaries 11 between the top edges and the positions slightly below these edges. The liquid 9 (water) stored in the water storage tank is sucked up nearly to the neighborhood of the top ends of the glass capillaries 11 by capillarity. The hydrophilic resins 12 further suck up the water to build up the water up to the upper side of the glass capillaries 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid supply structure for supplying a liquid for atomization to an ultrasonic atomizer used in a humidifier for adjusting humidity inside a room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic atomizer having an ultrasonic exciter having a structure in which a perforated diaphragm is fixed to a rectangular plate-shaped piezoelectric vibrator is applied for a patent by Japanese Patent Application No. 2-273001.
In addition, a patent application for a simple structure for supplying a liquid to the ultrasonic atomizing device has been filed on April 22, 1991 under the name "Ultrasonic Color Organ" (Japanese Patent Application No. 3-11919).
1).

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of the ultrasonic color organ. In this example, the piezoelectric vibrator 1, the vibration plate 2, the support plate 107, the liquid retaining material 101, and the liquid storage tank 102.
The power supply unit 103, the switch 104, and the keyboard 105 are provided inside the main body divided into two chambers. A body lid 106 is provided on the side portion of the body. The main body lid 106 is attached to the main body so as to be openable and closable in order to supply the liquid 9 to the liquid storage tank 102 and to discharge the mist that flows backward after atomization. The switch 104 is provided above the power supply unit 103, and an AC voltage is supplied to the piezoelectric vibrator 1 via the switch 104. However, in this figure, a circuit for connecting the power supply unit 103 to the piezoelectric vibrator 1 is omitted.

The tip of the liquid retaining material 101 projects above the liquid 9 and is in contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 2. The lower end of the liquid retaining material 101 is fixed to the bottom of the liquid storage tank 102. Storage tank 102
Is filled with a liquid 9 of a predetermined color. The liquid-retaining material 101 is made of sponge and sucks the liquid 9 in the liquid storage tank 102 and contacts the vibration plate 2 to supply the liquid 9 to the lower surface of the vibration plate 2.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing an ultrasonic exciter including a piezoelectric vibrator 1 and a diaphragm 2. The piezoelectric vibrator 1 is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped piezoelectric ceramic 3 and electrodes 4 and 5 that sandwich the piezoelectric ceramic 3. The material of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is TDK72A material (product name), and its length is 22 mm, width is 20 mm, and thickness is 1 mm. The TDK72A material is used here because it has a large electromechanical coupling coefficient. The direction of the polarization axis of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 coincides with the thickness direction, and the Au electrode 4 and the Au electrode 5 are formed on both surfaces perpendicular to this thickness direction. The Au electrode 4 covers one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and
The electrode 5 covers the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic 3. Au
The lead wire 111 is attached to the electrode 4, and the Au electrode 5
A lead wire 112 is attached to the. Lead wire 1
11 and 112 are respectively arranged at different corners of one edge portion along the width direction of the piezoelectric ceramic 3. A tongue-shaped vibrating plate 2 is fixed to one surface of the piezoelectric vibrator 1.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ultrasonic exciter.
The vibrating plate 2 is made of nickel, and is fixed integrally with the piezoelectric vibrator 1 in the long and thin plate-shaped fixing portion 7. The vibrating plate 2 of the portion protruding from the piezoelectric vibrator 1 forms the vibrating portion 6. There is. The fixed portion 7 is adhered to the Au electrode 4 of the piezoelectric vibrator 1 with an adhesive. The diaphragm 2 has a length of 20 mm and a width of 2
The thickness is 0 mm and the thickness is 0.05 mm. The fixing part 7 has a length of 20.
mm, width 3 mm, and thickness 0.05 mm. The vibrating portion 6 extends and protrudes outward from an edge portion along the width direction of the piezoelectric vibrator 1 in parallel to the plate surface of the piezoelectric vibrator 1. The vibrating portion 6 has a length of 17 mm, a width of 20 mm, and a thickness of 0.05 mm.

FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged plan view of the vibrating portion 6 in FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the vibrating portion 6 that appears when cut along a plane perpendicular to the plate surface. The vibrating portion 6 is provided with a plurality of fine holes 8 penetrating in the thickness direction thereof. Hole 8
Has a mortar shape, one opening area is larger than the other opening area, the opening having the larger area is the liquid inlet side, and the opening having the smaller area is the liquid outlet side. Diameter on the inlet side is 0.1 mm, diameter on the outlet side is 0.0
2 mm and the holes 8 are arranged at an equal pitch.

[0008]

In the liquid retaining material 101 in the atomizing device shown in FIG. 7, the portion above the liquid 9 is exposed to the air. The water-repellent substance floats in the air, and when the liquid-retaining material 101 is exposed to the air for a long period of time, the water-repellent substance adheres to the surface of the liquid-retaining material 101, and the liquid suction capacity of the liquid-retaining material 101 decreases. When the liquid-retaining material 101 is new and has excellent liquid suction capacity, a liquid film is formed on the upper end of the liquid-retaining material 101, and the diaphragm 2 contacts the liquid film and atomizes the liquid 9. However, when the liquid suction capacity of the liquid retaining material 101 is reduced, almost no liquid film is formed on the upper end of the liquid retaining material 101, and the atomization amount is significantly reduced. As described above, the conventional structure for supplying the liquid to the ultrasonic atomizing device has a problem to be solved regarding the maintenance of the liquid suction capacity.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is a structure for sucking a liquid from a liquid storage tank and supplying the liquid to the ultrasonic atomizing device, and capable of maintaining the liquid supplying ability for a long period of time. To provide a liquid supply structure.

[0010]

A first means according to the present invention is a structure in which a liquid for atomization is supplied to an ultrasonic atomization device in which a perforated vibration plate is fixed to a piezoelectric vibrator. The lower opening is immersed in the liquid storage tank in which the upper opening is located higher than the upper surface of the liquid in the liquid storage tank, and means for sucking the liquid up to the vicinity of the upper opening by capillary action, And a hydrophilic water-conducting unit that guides the liquid sucked up to the vicinity of the upper opening further upward to bring it into contact with the vibration plate.

A second means according to the present invention is the same as the first means, wherein the suction means is a glass tube.
It is characterized in that the hydrophilic water-conducting means is made of a hydrophilic resin provided on the upper opening peripheral edge of the glass tube and on the inner tube wall between the peripheral edge and a little lower side.

A third means according to the present invention is the first means according to the first means, wherein the sucking means are arranged in parallel with each other with their side edges in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank at a minute gap. It is characterized in that it is made of a plate, and the hydrophilic water-conducting means is made of a hydrophilic resin coated on the upper edge of the glass plate and between the upper edge and slightly downward.

A fourth means according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the third means, hydrophilic fibers are planted in the hydrophilic resin provided on the upper edge of the glass plate.

A fifth means according to the present invention is the same as the first means, wherein the siphoning means are arranged in parallel with each other with a small gap, the side walls of which are arranged in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank. It is characterized in that it is made of a plate, and the hydrophilic water-conducting means is made of frosted glass formed by etching the glass plate itself between the upper edge of the glass plate and slightly downward from the upper edge.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a structure for supplying a liquid for atomization to an ultrasonic atomization device in which a perforated vibration plate is fixed to a piezoelectric vibrator, the liquids for atomization are parallel to each other with a minute gap. A plurality of glass plates arranged with their side edges in contact with the inside of a liquid storage tank for storing a liquid; and a hydrophilic spacer filled in the gap in the vicinity of one of the side edges. The upper edge of the glass plate is stepwise higher than other portions in the vicinity of the side edge on the side where the spacer is provided, and the gap is near the upper edge of the stepwise higher portion. The ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure is characterized in that it is narrow enough to suck up the liquid by a capillary phenomenon.

[0016]

According to the first means of the present invention, the sucking means for sucking the liquid from the liquid storage tank to the vicinity of the upper opening of the capillary by utilizing the capillary phenomenon, and the liquid sucked up to the vicinity of the upper opening by the sucking means are further moved upward. A hydrophilic water-conducting means for guiding and contacting the diaphragm. In this structure, the liquid is sucked up to a position considerably higher than the liquid level of the liquid storage tank by the suction means composed of a capillary tube. Therefore,
Since the liquid suction path from the liquid surface of the liquid storage tank to the upper opening of the capillary is shielded from the air by the capillary wall, the liquid suction capacity may not decrease with time due to the adhesion of the repellent water substance in the air. Absent. It is considered that the water repellent substance in the air may be attached to the hydrophilic water-conducting means, but since the hydrophilic water-conducting means needs to guide the liquid for a shorter distance than the sucking-up means, it may have a structure extremely smaller than the sucking-up means. it can. Therefore, since the hydrophilic water-conducting means is constantly subjected to the vibration of the diaphragm, the water-repellent substance is unlikely to adhere to this portion. Therefore, according to the first means of the present invention, the liquid supply capacity can be maintained for a long period of time. The second to fifth means are the same as the first means.

In the sixth means of the present invention, a plurality of glasses having a plate surface having a stepwise shape are arranged with a minute gap, and the liquid in the liquid storage tank is moved around the upper stage of the glass plate by a capillary phenomenon in the gap. Suck up to. In this structure, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the glass plate, the liquid is filled in the gap in a stepped shape along the edge from the upper stage to the lower stage of the glass plate. In the ultrasonic atomizing device, a projection that slightly enters the gap is provided at the tip edge of the diaphragm, and by combining the ultrasonic atomizing device having such a structure with the liquid supply structure of the sixth means, It is possible to obtain an ultrasonic atomization system in which the liquid supply ability is not deteriorated by the water repellent substance.

[0018]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples. 1A and 1B are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a sectional view. In the figure, 11 is a glass capillary tube and 12 is a hydrophilic resin. The liquid 9 is water. In FIG. 1B, four glass capillaries arranged in close contact with each other are shown, but 16 glass capillaries 11 are arranged in this embodiment.
Also in FIG. 1A, some of the glass capillaries 11 are not shown. Examples of the hydrophilic resin 12 include
Kuraray's Poval (registered trademark) and Kansai Paint Co., Ltd.
There is a Cosmer (registered trademark) made by the company.

The height h at which the liquid 9 (water) is sucked up and reaches the upper surface 9a of the liquid storage tank by the capillary phenomenon in the glass capillary tube 11 is calculated by the following equation (1). h = 2T ÷ (rρg) (1) Here, T is the surface tension of water per 1 m, r is the radius of the glass capillary 11, ρ is the density of water, and g is the acceleration of gravity. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the radius r of the glass capillary tube 11, the liquid 9 can reach the vicinity of the upper opening of the glass capillary tube 11.
Can suck up. In this embodiment, the hydrophilic resin 12 is coated on the upper edge of the glass capillary tube 11 and the inner wall of the tube 11 between the upper edge and a position slightly lower than the upper edge. The hydrophilic resin 12 further sucks up the liquid 9 that has climbed to the vicinity of the upper end of the glass capillary 11, and the upper surface 15 of the liquid 9 rises slightly from the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin 12. Diaphragm 2
Faces the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin 12 with a slight gap, so that the liquid 9 rising above the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin 12
Contacts the lower surface of the diaphragm 2.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 21 is a rectangular glass plate, and 26-29.
Is a resin plate. The resin plates 26 to 29 and the bottom plate form a liquid storage tank, and the glass plate 21 is arranged in parallel with each other with a minute gap in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank. The plate edge of the glass plate 21 is covered with the hydrophilic resin, and the plate surface of the glass plate 21 extending from the upper edge to a position slightly lower than the upper edge (to the same depth as the hydrophilic resin 12 in FIG. 1) is covered with the hydrophilic resin. .. The gap between the glass plates 21 is sufficiently narrowed so that the liquid 9 is sucked up to the vicinity of the upper end of the glass plate 21 by the capillary phenomenon. The liquid 9 rises above the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin due to the hydrophilic resin, as in the embodiment of FIG. Therefore, the liquid 9 can be atomized by disposing the vibrating plate 2 so as to be close to the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin.

FIG. 2 (b) is a diagram showing a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 (a). In this example, the hydrophilic resin spacer 22 is provided in the gap between the glass plates 21. Spacer 22
As a result, the liquid 9 is likely to rise above the embodiment of FIG. As the hydrophilic resin spacer 22, for example, Bemcot (registered trademark) manufactured by Asahi Kasei Co., Ltd. is used.

FIG. 3 (a) is a partial plan view showing another modification of the embodiment of FIG. 2 (a). Reference numeral 31 denotes a corrugated glass plate. Although only three corrugated glass plates 31 are extracted and shown in this figure, in reality, these glass plates 31 are arranged in the liquid storage tank as in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B shows the embodiment of FIG. 2A and FIG.
It is a partial top view which shows the structure comprised combining the Example of (a). This structure increases mechanical strength.

FIG. 3C is a partial plan view showing an embodiment in which hexagonal column-shaped glass capillaries are arranged instead of the cylindrical glass capillaries 11 in the embodiment of FIG. Note that FIG.
(A), (b) and (c) are drawn by omitting the hydrophilic resin that covers the upper edges of the glass plates 21 and 31 or the glass tube 33.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view conceptually showing a third embodiment of the present invention in which hydrophilic fibers 42 are planted on the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin 41 in the structure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 (a). It is a figure. The hydrophilic fibers 42 guide the liquid 9 sucked up to the upper edge of the hydrophilic resin 41 further upward. Hydrophilic fiber 4
The upper end of 2 touches the diaphragm 2 lightly. Upon receiving vibration from the diaphragm 2, the hydrophilic fibers 42 suck up the liquid one after another and continuously supply the liquid 9 to the lower surface of the diaphragm 2. Since the tip of the hydrophilic fiber 42 is extremely thin and contacts the diaphragm 2 at a point,
The vibration of the diaphragm 2 is not disturbed by the hydrophilic fibers. The hydrophilic fiber 42 is produced by coating a nylon pile with a hydrophilic resin (Poval, Cosma, etc.).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 (a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper edge of the glass plate in this embodiment, and FIG. 5 (b) is this. It is a partially broken perspective view which shows the part of an Example. In this embodiment, FIG.
Similar to the embodiment (a), a plurality of glass plates 51 are arranged in parallel with each other with a minute gap, and the side edges of the glass plates 51 are in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank. The side plates 53, 54, the glass plates 51 at the outermost ends, and the bottom plate form a liquid storage tank. The upper edge of the glass plate 51 and the plate surface of the glass plate 51 extending from the upper edge to a position slightly lower than the upper edge are ground glass and are ground glass. Frosted glass has a high hydrophilicity and absorbs water in the same manner as a hydrophilic resin, and causes the liquid 9 to rise above the upper edge of the glass plate 51.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 (a) is a partially broken perspective view thereof, and FIG. 6 (b) is a view showing a water surface at a step portion of this embodiment. is there. In this embodiment, a plurality of glass plates 61 are arranged with a minute gap in parallel with each other with their side edges in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank. A hydrophilic spacer 63 made of Bemcot manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation is sandwiched in a minute interval between the glass plates 61. On the side where the hydrophilic spacer 63 is provided, the upper edge of the glass plate 61 is stepped upward by a step a. The liquid 9 is sucked up into the gap of the glass plate 61 by the capillary phenomenon, and the liquid reaches the vicinity of the upper edge of the stepwise high portion. As shown in FIG. 6B, the upper surface of the liquid 9 when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the glass plate 61 becomes a water level 65 at the step portion with a curved line. A protrusion 62 is provided at the tip of the diaphragm 2a. The protrusion 62 enters the gap of the glass plate 61 and touches the liquid 9 in the gap. When the diaphragm 2a vibrates, first, the liquid 9 in the step portion spreads to the lower surface of the diaphragm 2a by the protrusion 62. Next, the liquid 9 in the gap between the glass plates 61 below the vibrating plate 2a is pulled up by the liquid 9 diffused by the protrusions 62, reaches the lower surface of the vibrating plate 2a, and is atomized by the vibrating plate 2a. Once the upper surface of the liquid 9 in the glass plate 61 below the vibrating plate 2a and the lower surface of the vibrating plate 2a are connected by the liquid 9, the atomized liquid 9 continues from below the vibrating plate 2a. It is supplied as a fog and can continuously generate fog.

[0028]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, the present invention has a structure for sucking the liquid from the liquid storage tank and supplying the liquid to the ultrasonic atomizer, which is used for a long period of time. Even if the water repellent substance in the air does not affect the water supply ability, it is possible to provide the ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure capable of stably supplying the liquid.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention and a modification thereof.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a modified example of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an ultrasonic atomizer of a system that supplies a liquid by a conventional liquid supply structure.

8 is a side view showing an ultrasonic exciter in the ultrasonic atomizing device of FIG. 7. FIG.

9 is a plan view showing the ultrasonic exciter of FIG. 8. FIG.

10 is an enlarged plan view of a diaphragm in the ultrasonic exciter of FIG.

11 is an enlarged sectional view of a diaphragm in the ultrasonic exciter of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Piezoelectric vibrator 2 Vibrating plate 3 Piezoelectric ceramic 4,5 Au electrode 6 Vibrating part 7 Solid difference part 8 Hole 9 Liquid 11 Glass capillary tube 12 Hydrophilic resin 21 Glass plate 22 Hydrophilic resin spacer 26-29 Resin plate 31 Corrugated glass plate 33 Hexagonal glass capillary tube 41 Hydrophilic resin 42 Hydrophilic fiber 51 Glass plate 52 Ground glass 53, 54 Side plate 61 Glass plate 62 Protrusion 63 Hydrophilic spacer 64 Side wall 65 Step water level 101 Liquid retaining material 102 Water tank 103 Power supply section 104 Switch 105 Keyboard 106 Main body lid 107 Support plate 111, 112 Lead wire

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Koji Toda 1-49-18 Futaba, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. In a structure for supplying a liquid for atomization to an ultrasonic atomization device in which a perforated vibration plate is fixed to a piezoelectric vibrator, a lower opening is immersed in a liquid storage tank in which the liquid is stored. The upper opening is located at a position higher than the upper surface of the liquid in the liquid storage tank, and means for sucking up the liquid to the vicinity of the upper opening by a capillary phenomenon, and the liquid sucked up to the vicinity of the upper opening by the suction means. A structure for supplying liquid to an ultrasonic atomizing device, which further comprises a hydrophilic water-conducting means that is further guided upward and brought into contact with the vibration plate. 2. The suction means comprises a glass tube,
The ultrasonic atomization according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic water-conducting means is made of a hydrophilic resin provided on an upper opening peripheral edge of the glass tube and an inner tube wall extending slightly downward from the peripheral edge. Device liquid supply structure. 3. The suction means comprises a plurality of glass plates arranged in parallel to each other with a minute gap in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank with their side edges in contact with each other, and the hydrophilic water-conducting means comprises the glass plates. 2. The ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure is made of a hydrophilic resin coated on the upper edge and a portion of the upper edge slightly downward. 4. The ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure according to claim 3, wherein hydrophilic fibers are embedded in the hydrophilic resin provided on the upper edge of the glass plate. 5. The suction means comprises a plurality of glass plates which are arranged in parallel with each other with a minute gap in contact with the inner wall of the liquid storage tank at their side edges, and the hydrophilic water-conducting means comprises a plurality of glass plates. 2. The ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply structure is made of frosted glass formed by etching the glass plate itself between the upper edge and a portion slightly below the upper edge. 6. A structure for supplying an atomizing liquid to an ultrasonic atomizing device in which a perforated vibration plate is fixed to a piezoelectric vibrator, in a liquid storage tank for storing the liquid in parallel with each other in a minute gap. A plurality of glass plates arranged in contact with side edges inside, and hydrophilic wire spacers filled in the gap in the vicinity of one of the side edges, the upper edges of the plurality of glass plates being In the vicinity of the side edge on which the spacer is provided, the height is stepwise higher than other portions,
The ultrasonic atomizer liquid supply structure, wherein the gap is so narrow as to suck up the liquid by a capillary phenomenon up to the vicinity of the upper edge of the stepped portion.